The House of Habsburg

[Garuda]

1851-1853

Part 1

Out with the old and in with the new. left: the assassination of Emperor Ferdinand and right: The new Emperor, Franz Josef I. The King is dead, long live the King.

Franz Josef was born in Vienna 18 August 1830, the eldest of five children. At the age of thirteen the young Archduke joined the army as a Colonel, he saw active service under Field Marshall Radetzky. For the rest of his life following military service, his fashion was dictated by army style normally donning the uniform of a junior officer. In 1848 when the Imperial Family left troubled Vienna for the calmer surroundings of Innsbruck Franz first met his young cousin Elisabeth, a Bavarian Duchess and his future bride to be.

The Assassination of Emperor Ferdinand

The seventy seven year old Klemens von Metternich defied his challengers within the Austrian government to continue his reign as chancellor. He had survived nationalist revolution and gained much support amongst the landed gentry and the capitalists of the Austrian heartlands. Much of his success was brought about by his ability to manipulate the feeble minded Emperor Ferdinand. But on 18 February 1851 Ferdinand was assassinated by a Hungarian nationalist named János Libényi. The assassin had taken his opportunity one early evening while the Emperor was taking a stroll with one of his officers, an Austro-Irishman Karl von Tyrconnell. Bodyguards immediately seized Libényi but were unable to save their Emperor who died in Tyrconnell’s arms [1]. Ferdinand was succeeded as Emperor by his nephew, Franz Joseph I.

The endless rounds of rebel-bashing in Lombardy-Venetia

Continued Unrest in the Empire

The Austrian military remained on alert in Lombardy-Venetia following the failed Italian revolution. Field Marshall Jelacic, hero of the Hungarian war, was charged by the Austrian War Ministry with putting down rebellion and quelling the riots of disquieted Italians. In the Balkans, Russian political stirrings for pan-slavism caused the Ottoman Turks to deploy yet more troops into Walachia and Moldavia. Austria too sent more troops to the area, three imperial divisions were deployed to the Dalmatian border. Russia was playing with fire in order to incite their slavic cousins into overthrowing Ottoman rule and embracing the Tsar as their cultural and religious protector.

Colonial beginings, Abu Dhabi 1853

A Colonial Empire

In the summer of 1852, Metternich decided he needed to endear himself to the new Emperor and to avert attention from himself and the internal stresses of Austria. It was time for Austria to join the other great Empires of Britain and France as a truly international power with overseas interests that would provide trade and strategic naval bases from which to project Austrian influence. It was known to Austrian prospectors that the arab nation of Abu Dhabi was a potentially rich source of oil. A resource that currently remained untapped. Austrian agents were sent to Adu Dhabi to sow instability and provide Austria with a ready excuse to step in and protect Austrian trade interest and to save Abu Dhabi from itself. In September, orders were placed for the import of ships to augment Austria’s woeful navy and two divisions were trained for desert combat and reformed as Austria’s new foreign corps. On 24 January 1853 the foreign corps commanded by General Radokowski departed the Adriatic port of Istria bound for the Persian Gulf. At the end of April Austria declared war and on 15 May Austria’s foreign corps landed western Abu Dhabi and moved to seige Mariyyah. Austria’s highly trained regiments swept away the defences of the Arab tribesmen, the terrain and climate though were far more formidable a foe. On December 12 after the fall of the capital and the capture of the Qasr al-Hosn being the Royal Place and seat of government, Abu Dhabi agreed to terms and ceded its western provinces Marriyah and Ad Dawhah to Austria, only Dubayy remained under the Emir’s administration. The great powers of the world issued no protests.


*****
Game notes

[1] In real history Ferdinand abdicated in 1848 after Metternich’s resignation brought about a change in Austria’s administration. As Metternich still holds on to power in my game I decided to oust Ferdinand in a more dramatic fashion taking inspiration from the real life 1853 assassination attempt of Franz Joseph.

1851
Oct- Our peace treaty with France expires.
1852
Jan- We discover High Low Pressure Steam Engines begin Interchangable parts
Nov 27- Peace treaty with Holstein ends
1853
Jan 3- Peace treaty with Denmark ends
March 20: We discover interchangeable parts begin functionalism
Apr 24: Imperial navy arrives in the Persian Gulf. We declare colonial war vs Abu Dhabi.
Dec 12: Abu Dhabi cedes Marriyah and Ad Dawhah in a peace settlement.

[asd21593]

good to see austria finally colonizing

*was the emperor really assassinated in actual history? (i'm not big on hapsburg history)

**if i were you, i'd take out the italian states that arent GoI'd or allied with France and prepare for war in the balkans


great stuff,
asd

p.s.- came home early from school today, feeling like shit

[robou]

good to see austria finally colonizing
*was the emperor really assassinated in actual history? (i'm not big on hapsburg history)

need i say anything?

[1] In real history Ferdinand abdicated in 1848 after Metternich’s resignation brought about a change in Austria’s administration. As Metternich still holds on to power in my game I decided to oust Ferdinand in a more dramatic fashion taking inspiration from the real life 1853 assassination attempt of Franz Joseph.

Great stuff their. With all revolts now being quelled, Austria can stand above others and become a trully great power, under the leadership of a most enlightened Chancellor, and an obviously stronger Kaiser.
Great Stuff! Keep it up! and dont let Metternich get voted out.

[mad general]

The picture of the emperor getting knifed was realy assination attempt on the new emperor.

[asd21593]

woops missed the bottom part, still great aar though


asd

[Garuda]

1851-1853

Part 2: World Affairs

left: Russian Tsar Nicholas I and right: Karl Nesselrode, Russian Foreign Minister and Head of Government.

War

The Russian government, under the ministry of Karl Nesselrode was becoming increasingly restrictive of the freedoms of its own people due to a paranoia of nationalism spreading from western Europe. In 1849 Nesselrode had ordered the closure of a literary circle formed by the outspoken liberalist author Mikhail Petrashevsky in St. Petersburg and then in 1851 he began a programme of restriction of the Russian press. It was against this political backdrop that Nesselrode launched his next policy; pan-slavism. At home Nesselrode clamped down on freedoms, but abroad his foreign agenda was to sow disparagement in the Danubian Principailies. Tsar Nicholas wished to embrace the Balkan slavs and was preparing to proclaim himself as protector of the cultural and religious rights of all orthodox Christians living under Ottoman Islamic rule.

The original ideals of pan-slavism as preached by the Czech nationalist František Palacký during the first pan-slavic convention in Prague in 1848 were both anti-Austrian and anti-Russian, but Nesselrode’s programme for pan-slavism was aimed at bringing the south slavs of the Danubian principalities into the embrace of mother Russia, not the separatism of the Prague convention. In the face of aggressive Russian incitement, the Ottomans continued to tighten their grip on the Balkans increasing their military presence and actively suppressing any signs of subversion.

Tensions escalated over the religious rights of Christians living under the Sultan’s rule. The Porte looked to the great powers of Europe to offer mediation, diplomats of France and Britain visited St. Petersburg to seek a settlement but The Tsar refused to be moved on his claims to be the protector of all orthodox christians and the Sultan, Abdulmecid I, would not give in to pressures to renounce political control of their Balkan satellites. In the spring of 1853 the Ottomans closed the straits controlled by Constantinople to Russian ships cutting the Black Sea off from the Mediterranean. Russia exported 50% of its national grain produce from the Black sea port of Odessa. The straits therefore, were a lifeline for the Russian economy. On 23 July 1853 with all political options exhausted Russia delivered its declaration of war to the Ottoman Porte.

The Sultan turned again to the great powers. Édouard Drouyn de Lhuys head statesman of France responded with a pledge of military support for the Turks. His motives were less about defending the Ottomans and more about taking advantage of the opportunity to check the Russians from growing in power. For the sealing of a new Franco-Turkish alliance, France also gained recognition from Abdulmecid as the protector of all Christians in the Holy Lands. The Earl of Aberdeen, Britain’s Prime Minister decided that this wasn’t the time to test the ability of French and British forces to fight alongside each other as allies, a proposition wholly alien to the mass populace of both nations. De Lhuys took position as head of the alliance of France, the Ottoman Empire, Egypt and Tunisia against the Russians. Within days of the war beginning the government of Wallachia declared neutrality. The Tsar took this as a sign of encouragement, Wallachia had defied her Turkish overlord by not raising military support for the Sultan. Russia now began to mobilise, a feat that for a country of such immense size and of poor infrastructure would take some weeks, possibly even months to achieve.

Tensions in North America

The island of San Juan lying in the channel between Vancouver Island and the USA was the location of escalating tensions between the United States and Great Britain. The boundaries of the US and the territories and dependencies of Britain were set at the Treaty of Oregon in 1846 but both nations continued to lay claim to San Juan. The question of over sovereignty eventually came to the fore in 1852 over a dispute between two locals, one an Irishman named Charles Griffin in the employ of the Hudson Bay Company who kept pigs on the island and the other an American farmer who had come to settle. The farmer, Lyman Cutlar one day shot one of Griffin’s pigs. The two men could not settle the issue between themselves and eventually the British authorities threatened to arrest Cutlar who turned to US officials for military protection. Both nations readied military detachments to occupy the island. What may have become a war between Britain and America was averted as the commanders on both sides each refused to shoot first over an incident as trivial in the circumstances as a dead pig. The stand off continued between local commaders, but neither Washington nor London would give credence to the possibility of military conflict.

In America’s deep south hotly contested debates began over the issue of slavery. Passions began to run high throughout the state of Florida. The matter was becoming very worrying and threatened to spread further throughout the States. Concerns for where this could lead began to reverberate around the government in Washington.


*********

[Garuda]

1854-1855

A French steamer loaded with troops heads for the Black Sea. The steamer is one of a whole fleet that sailed from Marseilles headed to the Crimean Peninsula. The expedition met with disaster at the hands of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and was forced to return to France without off loading the stricken invasion army.

Austria

On 2 May 1854 Austria celebrated the royal wedding of Emperor Franz Josef I to his cousin, Princess Elisabeth of Bavaria. The marriage continued the cordial relations between Austria and Bavaria and helped endear the Austrian public towards their Habsburg ruler. Elisabeth became affectionately known as Sisi, an Empress with little regard for etiquette who proved ever popular with the people.

The Emperor had few worries to deal with through 1854 and 1855. Metternich no longer had free reign to set Austrian policy without Franz Josef’s assent and Franz Josef was in no mood to involve Austria in the war in the near east. Austria’s finance relied heavily upon trade tax tariffs which liberals wished to abolish. Franz Josef therefore continued to dismiss all liberal calls for reform and remained in favour of traditional conservative policies.

In June 1855, advisors to the Imperial court took the opportunity to call upon Franz Josef’s conservative values. A proposal was put forth that Austria should consider revising the enlightened church reforms of Joseph II and revive traditional conservatism of crown, church and army. The greatest benefits that Franz Josef could see in the proposal was the possibility of repairing relations with the Italians as the Austrian church would form closer ties with Rome whereas Metternich’s policies had always been to view the Italian question as a direct threat to Austrian security. Eventually, having taken council the Emperor decided that the costs and upheaval in reviving old style conservatism was too high a price to pay. The Emperor’s conservatism was one of a forward looking prosperous Austria not a reactionary relic of the past. The clergy distanced themselves further from the crown and relations with the Italian states remained soured.


World Affairs

War in the Near East

Sultan Abdulmecid inspects the port garison in Constantinople during the time of the Russo-Turkish war 1854.

The Russo-Turkish war that began in 1853 continued to rage. The Ottoman Sultan, Abdulmecid I, was forced to secure loans from France for the war effort. French military support soon followed but met with disaster. The front line on the Russo-Turkish Balkan border was heavily contested. French military chiefs decided to land an army behind the war front, first to capture the Black Sea port at Sevastopol and then on to Odessa. A fleet of French steamers transported the army to their destination. The transport fleet was poorly escorted and on 16 November 1854 the Russian Black Sea fleet made contact. The French navy was defeated and forced back through the Dardenelles. A French invasion was now impossible.

Throughout 1854 the Russian army progressed slowly on the road towards Constantinople. Eventually though stout resistance by the Turks halted the Russians at Burgas. Unable to penetrate any deeper through the Turkish defence the Russians opened up a second front, invading the Ottoman Empire from the east across the Caucasus. But the passage across the Caucasus prevented the Russians from being able to deploy and supply enough troops to reach beyond Trazbon. By the end of 1855 both east and west fronts had reached a stalemate.

The Russians are halted north of Burgas in 1855.

The Shimoda Treaty

Despite his attention being given over to the war with Turkey, Nesselrode took time to despatch a mission to Japan headed by the Imperial Ambassador,Yevfirny Putiatin. For centuries Japan and other nations of Asiana had closed their borders to European traders. With the growth of industrialism European powers were keener than ever to open up markets in the far east to trade their overproduced goods. Tsar Nicholas sought after the prestige of being the first leader of the world’s great powers to open up Japan to western trade. Russia learned of American plans to send a mission to be headed by Commodore Mathew Perry. Nicholas ordered Nesselrode to despatch a Russian mission without delay. The mission was to also include discussions and agreements on border disputes between Russia and Japan, particularly over the ownership of the Kuril Islands. Perry arrived first but failed to achieve all he had set out for. Putiatin hoped to restore Russian pride by bettering the American deal. On 1 February 1855 the Freindship Treaty of Shimoda was signed at the Choraku-ji Temple in Shimoda by Putiatin as Russian Ambassador and Toshiakira Kawaji, official appointee for Japan. Three ports were opened up to Russian trade ships, one more than gained by the Americans. A Russian consul was officially appointed to Japan and the border of the shared Kuril Islands was fixed.

*******

Game notes:
1854
May: discover functionalism. Begin market structure.
Oct: event> traitor executed prestige +5, rels Switz -50. S-P and switz have been building rels for years so tie this in. Swiss spy working for Sardinian govt. in Lombardy.
1855
1855: Looked at allowing voting but my economy relies heavily on tariffs. The liberals are a free trade party. I need to improve my finances before enacting voting reforms.
Apr: Our alliance with Tuscany and Modena expired
May: discover market structure begin organized factories
June 6 event> ‘Concordate with the papacy’
July 5: Invent: ‘monopoly structure’ fires +100% build costs, -25% expand costs
Aug 12: event> Major Worker Strike’ (Galizien). Went with compromise=cash +100 for lab/crafts in Galicia, cost -£1,000. consc -1 lab, crafts, reactionary in Galizien.


*****

[asd21593]

so sorry i havent commented yet,........just caught up with this

good as always,
asd

[robou]

2 more fantastic updates. Austria seems to be in a prime situation for becoming very powerful. Looks like those Russians are being beaten as well.

[robou]

Is there any chance of a screenie of the situation in the caucaus mountains?

[Garuda]

Is there any chance of a screenie of the situation in the caucaus mountains?

Unfortunately I didn't save any screenshots other than the one I used above and I've moved on a long way in the game now. I've reached the late 1880's now.

[superskippy]

Garuda I just wanted to say I apologise for being a lurker in your AAR, but I really do love the narrative you bring to the story. I intent to make up for my lurking however, I've chosen you for WritAAR of the week! Go over and say hi to your fans!

[Garuda]

Garuda I just wanted to say I apologise for being a lurker in your AAR, but I really do love the narrative you bring to the story. I intent to make up for my lurking however, I've chosen you for WritAAR of the week! Go over and say hi to your fans!

Wow. Thanks very much. Coming from somebody who writes as well as you do I feel very honoured. I have to say I read most of the AARs in the Vicky forum and some of the EU3 ones too but I'm a serial lurker more than a poster. I've been enjoying your Israel aar but I'm now ashamed to say I haven't posted any comments so far.

[Garuda]

1855
National Statistics

Changes since 1836: No government changes. No reforms enacted

Monarch: Emperor Franz Josef II
Head of Government: Chancellor Klemens von Metternich
Government: Conservative Metternich Faction
Monarchy, laws by decree, two party system, national value is order. Interventionalist economy, protectionist trade laws, moralist, residence, pro-military.

1855
Population: 44.3 millions
Population growth: Since 1850 (41.9m) +5.7%;
Great Power rating: 5th
Plurality 29.4%; Literacy 40.7%; MP 128 (+1.81 pm); LP 8 (+0.52 pm); RP +0.88 pm
Prestige 394; DIP +2.5 pa; Factories 24; Provinces 100: States 24; Badboy 4.88.

Population: 44.3 millions
National culture: South German 8.8m (20%)
Non-National Cultures: Hungarian 7.1m (16%), North Italian 6.6m (15%), Czech 4.4m (10%), Romanian 3.5m (8%), Polish 2.6m (6%) and others.
- 46% farmers, 30% labourers, 9% soldiers, 8% craftsmen — 72% conservative, 25% liberal, 3% socialist – 73% catholic, 16% orthodox, 7% protestant — Dom issue= moralism 71%; Secondary issue= Laissez-faire 41%.

Economy

1855
Production …and base WM prices
Daily production………….…War materials….…base £
Wool +22…£1.54……………..Steel +0.80…….£24.95
Cattle +19…£2.10……………..Arms +0.22…….£97.56
Fruit +19….£1.42……………..Ammo +0.21…...£33.57
Grain +14…£1.27……………..Artillery 0……...£84.94
Coal +11….£3.86……………..Explosives 0…...£42.72
Iron +5.……£4.80……………..Clippers 0….…£104.21

Output of steel almost doubled in Austria during between 1845 and 1850 and more than doubled again from 1850 to 1855. Yet again though, base prices of all war materials on the world market continued to fall dramatically. Austria is not a world leading producer of any particular commodity.

8th highest exporter in the world
Daily export: £263 per day…[1850 £241]…growth since 1850: +9.1%

1855 Financial Report
Cash Reserves: £ (forgot to record)
Income: £61,395……[1850=£47,092…growth since 1850: +30.4%]
Expense: £52,385…….[1850=£41,218…growth since 1850: +27.1%]

Budget expense spending 1855
Army and Defence: £19,049…..[1850=£20,828..growth: -9.3%]
Education: £12,183…..[1850=£9,994..growth: +21.9%]
Events: £8,000………..[1850=£0]
Imports: £5,924……….[1850=not recorded]
Development: £4,625…[1850=£3,000..growth: +54.1%]
Crime: £2,496………...[1850=£2,309..growth: +8.1%]

Big increases to funding for education, development and crime fighting in comparison with the war weary Austria of 1850.

Military

Divisions
Standing Army: 40……33 inf, 3 cav, 4 irr 209,26 men
Reserve Pool: 3
Mobilisation Pool: 8

Army Comparison
UK&BI 74, France 67, Russia 50, OE 49, China 45, Austria 40, USA 15, Japan 15, Netherlands 12, Spain 10, Prussia 10, Two Sicilies 10.

Navy Comparison
UK&BI 165, Russia 69, Netherlands 40, Prussia 27, USA 25, France 22, OE 12.

Current wars at end of 1855:
The Crimean War: Russia vs France, Ottoman Empire, Egypt and Tunisia.

Technologies researched since 1850:
1852: High and Low Pressure Steam Engines.
1853: Interchangeable Parts
1854: Functionalism
1855: Market Structure
Under research: Organized factories.


********

[Mettermrck]

Just starting reading up here based on your WoW award - congrats btw. Really like the mix of history and gameplay, and the statistics especially. Look forward to seeing what you make of Austria.

[Garuda]

Just starting reading up here based on your WoW award - congrats btw. Really like the mix of history and gameplay, and the statistics especially. Look forward to seeing what you make of Austria.

Awww shucks . Thanks very much for your kind comments.

[Garuda]

Work has gone crazy at the moment so I'm not likely to update until the beginning of next week.

[PrawnStar]

Good read, personally I'd like a little bit more gameplay info and stats but I think the balance is pretty good.

Austria in Vicky always looks to be a long hard slog against the game - which makes a change on EU2

[Garuda]

1856-1860

Part One

War begins January 1858. Italian militias rise up against Austria while Sardinia mobilises.

Sardinia Again

Despite the military defeat of 1850 in the Italian war against Austria, Camillo Benso Conti di Cavour, Prime Minister of Sardinia-Piedmonte continued to appeal to France for support in his crusade to overturn Austrian rule in the North Italian provinces. Cavour received the full backing of his new king, Victor Emmanuel. By December 1857 Cavour had again offered repatriation of Savoy and Annency to French Prime Minister de Lhuys for support of a unified Italy under a Sardinian king. The Franco-Sardinian Pact of Plombières was sealed and Cavour now believed he had achieved enough to approach the Austrian government and re-open discussions on the future of the 6.6 million Italians under Habsburg rule. Austria had countered Cavour’s moves by sealing alliances with the Kingdom of The Two Sicilies and the Duchy of Modena. Each promised neutrality in the event of war between Austria and Sardinia.

Cavour was willing to offer a deal to Austria for the political hand over of Austro-Italian provinces to Italian rule. In return, Austria would receive monetary compensation, relieve rebellious threats to internal security and gain guaranteed trade rights with Turin and to France and its colonies.

Metternich refused. Cavour’s continued intriguing against the Austrian Empire and his continued agitation in Lombardy-Venetia brought about a stern response to the pact of Plombières. An emboldened Cavour refused to let the matter drop and actively sought to bring more and more pressure on Vienna from the great powers. A renewed war was inevitable. On 4 January 1858, in the face of provocation, Austria delivered its declaration to Turin. Cavour awaited a response from Paris, but a response was not forthcoming. De Lhuys had given his political support to Cavour but never agreed to fight a war for him. Cavour’s political failures now left Sardinia-Piedmonte to stand alone, only Tuscany pledged any support by sanctioning the supply of war materials. Sardinia had 22 divisions of regulars and 8 battalions of Lombardian and Venetian rebel militias under the command of General Garibaldi to face the Austrians who committed 32 divisions to the campaign commanded by Field Marshall Jelacic.

April 1858 and Sardinian forces liberate all of Piedmonte. But by January 1859 Sardinia is overrun and defeated in detail by Austria.

It took some weeks to mobilise the Austrian army and so by mid April the Sardinians had recovered all of their old provinces west of the Duchy of Milan. But as the spring wore on, the Austrian forces began to mass in Lombardy and in May 1585 Jelacic launched his counter attack. The war reached its turning point on 23 June at the battle of Alessandria, Jelacic defeated Garibaldi in the field and from here on Austria swept away all Sardinian resistance from their path. Between August and October, King Victor Emmanuel sent diplomats to engage the Austrian government in peace talks but Metternich advised Emperor Franz Josef that this time peace could not be concluded until Austria had removed the Sardinian threat. Austrian plans meant that Metternich would settle for nothing less than the removal of Cavour from power and the abdication of Victor Emmanuel to be replaced by a Habsburg Duke. Sardinia-Piedmonte would become an Austrian dependency. On 4 January 1859 one year to the day since the outbreak of the war, Chambery, the last Sardinian province, fell to the Austrians. Austria now forced Cavour to the negotiating table on Austrian terms.

Austria gains savona and Sardinia at the Treaty of Prague.

The Treaty of Prague was signed on 18 January 1859. The Earl of Malmesbury and Alexandre Colonna, Foreign Ministers of Britain and France respectively would not allow annexation and the extension of Habsburg rule by turning Sardinia-Piedmonte into a Habsburg Duchy. Metternich gave some concessions to the British and French delegations settling for partition, the resignation of Cavour, recognition from the great powers of Austrian rule in Lombardy-Venetia and war indemnities. Austria received Genova on the mainland and the island of Sardinia too.



******
Game Notes
1856
May: discover Organized factories begin clean coal
June: event> Foreign Support for Insurgents: we went with hang the smugglers
May: discover clean coal begin breech loaded rifles.
1858
Jan 4: event> Austrian Response to the pact of Plombières. Chose A: War= war with Sardinia-Piedmonte prestige +25, revolts in Verona, Padua, Trento, Treviso, Venizia x2, Udine, Trieste. [Option B was to cede 8 provinces to S-P and a loss of prestige.]
Jan 5: France dishonours the Sardinian alliance.
April 5: discover breech loaded rifles begin cheap iron.
Aug 3: S-P offers peace- offering Nice and Annency (French claims).We refuse.
Sept 21: S-P Offers peace for Nice, Annency again plus Genova. We refuse again.
Oct event> Leading scientist defects to your country’ discover Romanticism for free.
Oct: Aphids ravage the vineyards of Austria. (The first of several similar events.)
1859
Jan 4: last Sardinian province is taken, Chambery.
Jan: We offer peace for Genova and Sardinia (Sardinia island = Sassari and Cagliari) plus war indemnities.

[Mettermrck]

Like anything in the 19th century, the gradual approach will lull British sensibilities, especially when it comes to Austria moving back into Italy.